In hosting their seventh annual Pride Night, the Rangers will create an opportunity for fans to celebrate and embrace members and allies of the LGBTQ+ community. Fans will be able to purchase Pride pucks and t-shirts at MSG and online at shop.msg.com, as well as purchase the food item of the game at "Big Gay Ice Cream." In addition, on Friday night, the exterior of MSG will be illuminated with rainbow-colored lights.
The Rangers will partner with members of the LGBTQ+ community for various parts of the evening, including the national anthem, ceremonial puck drop, and community captain. Singing the national anthem will be Broadway star Michael James Scott, followed by a ceremonial puck drop from Andre Thomas, co-chair of NYC Pride and Heritage of Pride. The community captain for the evening's game is David Gilmartin, an employee of Delta for over 25 years, has given effort over the last 15 years to promote Delta's participation as a sponsor of the Heritage of Pride parade. In addition, Gilmartin served as team captain of the AIDS Walk NY with Delta for over 10 years.
As part of the night, and in support of the ongoing efforts to assist the LGBTQ+ community, the Rangers will make a charitable contribution to the Ali Forney Center. Founded in 2002, the Ali Forney Center has grown to become the largest agency dedicated to LGBTQ+ homeless youths in the country - assisting over 2,000 youths per year through a 24-hour Drop-In Center which provides over 70,000 meals annually, medical, and mental health services through an on-site clinic, and a scattered-site housing program.
